Following a strong home performance against then-fifth-ranked North Carolina, the fifth-seeded Virginia men’s soccer team had nine days off before returning to action in the ACC tournament against a familiar foe, fourth-seeded Notre Dame.

In what amounted to a win or go on the road game for the 13th-ranked Cavaliers, the resilient men’s soccer team battled under the lights on senior night against one the top two ACC teams, and one of the best in the country.

After a 3-1 win over Pittsburgh last week, the Cavaliers (9-3-2, 4-2-1 ACC) traveled to Blacksburg to take on their in-state rival Virginia Tech (5-7-3, 0-4-3 ACC) and continued their strong play with a 1-0 win.

In Newton, Massachusetts Friday, common logic abandoned the 10th-ranked Virginia men’s soccer team. The Cavaliers struggled with the artificial turf at Newton Campus Field and ceded the game’s first score just 34 minutes in.